He answered the call and has stuck around till the end
VERO BEACH, Fla. -- Takashi Saito wasn't like Daisuke Matsuzaka or Hideki Matsui or Ichiro Suzuki or Hideo Nomo, Japanese superstars who were offered millions of dollars to take their talents to the major leagues.
Saito, in fact, was on the downside of an up-and-down career with the Yokohama BayStars. He was a four-time All-Star with 87 career wins, but he also was 36 years old.
The Dodgers had tried to obtain him after the 2004 season, but he re-signed with Yokohama for another season. The Dodgers' Pacific scouts nudged general manager Ned Colletti to give him a shot last spring training. Saito looked good and made the team. But when closer Eric Gagne couldn't get healthy and Danys Baez didn't step up, Saito got his shot. The rest is history. He saved 24 games to go with a 2.07 ERA and the Dodgers dealt Baez to Atlanta for third baseman Wilson Betemit.
"He's been very consistent and he's been very good," said manager Grady Little. "He's a guy you can put out there every day if you need him. He never complains. He's very grateful to be where he is, and he's given us a very dependable closer, which [without one] is what makes managers get gray hairs."
If anyone is in danger of gray hair it's Saito, who turned 37 last month. While not overpowering -- he'll get above 90 on occasion -- he does have that shuuto (a dipping, two-seam fastball), a good curve, and great location. He also has a confident mound presence.
"He's very sure of himself," said first baseman Nomar Garciaparra. "He's got the confidence a closer needs to have to finish a game. Everyone here loves playing behind him. He really knows what he's doing out there."
Little recalls watching him throw on the side last spring and telling himself he needed to keep an eye on the pitcher. The Dodgers wanted him to pitch consistently so they shipped him to Las Vegas, but after dominating Triple A hitters Saito came up April 5 and had his first save May 15.
Saito went on to pitch 78 1/3 innings with 107 strikeouts. He allowed only three home runs and held righthanded batters to a .129 average, .177 to batters overall.
Much like Matsuzaka, he has a five-pitch arsenal, but last year his split-fingered pitch and slider were pretty much on hold. This season he's said through his interpreter that he might have to use his full arsenal as hitters begin to catch up to him. He didn't have the best spring, but he was battling a strained calf muscle. Little said he wasn't worried and that Saito would continue to be his closer.
Whether Saito holds on to the role could be determined by the development of Jonathan Broxton, considered the closer of the future. The Dodgers are paying Saito $1 million this year (and $300,000 in incentives), but he hinted during the winter he might return to Japan if he didn't get a boost in salary.
